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Early morning golfers and Pacific Grove recreational trail walkers saw flames leaping into the air at 7:25 a.m. Emergency dispatchers received several 911 calls.

Witnesses said they saw a man engulfed in flames running near the 17th hole, Crespi Pond, and a restroom.

Emergency crews extinguished the fire and the man was pronounced dead at the scene. On Monday, a coroner identified him as 56-year-old Richard Haffner of Pacific Grove.

Haffner's Mercedes was found parked nearby, and officers could smell some type of flammable liquid. Police said it was not clear if there was any foul play involved and they're hoping an autopsy will give them more clues.

Investigators said Sunday's incident was unlike anything they've seen before.

"It is a very odd call for a Sunday morning, especially for Pacific Grove," police officer Jeff Fenton said.

They are not ruling out arson or suicide.

"We don't have any real answers as to the cause of the fire, or what the purpose was, if any," Fenton said.

Another man was burned alive in West Hollywood Halloween night. Gilbert Estrada was consumed by flames in the middle of a carefree party crowd. The crowd was unaware that Estrada was dying within the fireball, and many cheered what they thought was an entertaining stunt at the West Hollywood Carnival. Los Angeles County Sheriff's investigators suspect Estrada was attempting to light a cigarette when his entire Halloween costume caught on fire. His costume was made out of burlap sacks and straw.